W.Va. Coaches, Athletes Pressured by New 'C-Average' Rule

Charleston, WVa--South Charleston High School's basketball coach,
Bill Walton, is already feeling the pressure of West Virginia's new
statewide policy requiring students participating in extracurricular
activities to maintain at least a "C" average.

"I know a young man here who stands a good chance of being offered a
$40,000 scholarship at a college in the state," he said. "But he's
afraid that with this policy he's not going to make the basketball
team. So he's dropped chemistry.

"He's a pretty good student, but he feels he can't afford to take
chemistry right now. He'll probably have to pick it up in college."

Mr. Walton, whose team lost the state championship by one point last
year, said the boy's dilemma typifies the problems surrounding the new
policy, which is due to take effect on Jan. 1 in all West Virginia
schools.

A number of school districts, including Los Angeles, Philadelphia,
and Pittsburgh, have adopted similar measures, but the West Virginia
regulation, passed unanimously last month by the state board of
education, marks the first attempt by any state to enforce such
standards for all public-high-school students.

The board's action means that, beginning at the end of the fall
semester, any student who has less than a C average will be ineligible
to participate in major extracurricular activities.

Roy Truby, West Virginia's superintendent of schools, said there is
some uncertainty as to precisely which activities the policy will
cover. But athletic teams, cheerleaders, and student government will
probably be included, as will most other student activities that are
not graded and do not provide credit toward graduation.

Mr. Truby said the board was looking at "activities that are
time-consuming and take students away from classwork."

Reaction to the policy has been muted so far. When the board
announced it was considering it, some coaches and principals warned
that it could disqualify as many as half of the students on some
athletic teams.

Principals on the West Virginia Secondary School Activities
Commission, who previously set standards for participation in
athletics, let it be known that they were displeased, but have since
been mildly supportive.

Part of the reason for that reaction was that in July the largest
county in the state, Kanawha, beat the state board to the punch by
passing an even stricter policy that required a C average and
prohibited students who failed a single course from participating in
extracurricular activities.

Mr. Walton, who coaches in Kanawha County, said more of his
colleagues are worried about the no-fail rule than about the C-average
requirement.

Mr. Truby agreed. "I think the no-F rule is a little too
restrictive. I've seen cases where, for instance, a kid had problems
with foreign languages, or was counseled into the wrong math class. I
don't think it's fair to penalize those people."

The superintendent said the impetus for the policy stemmed from the
board's concern over activities commission's lax standards. Last year,
he said, the board complained that the existing policy required
students to pass only three courses to be eligible for extracurricular
activities.

As Mr. Truby pointed out: "That means someone could have three Ds
and four Fs." The activities commission agreed to raise the standard to
require that four courses be passed, but the state board was not
satisfied and initiated its own reform.

Mr. Truby said he studied policies in Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, and
elsewhere before devising his own, which, he said, is less restrictive
than most.

West Virginia, with 55 county school systems that are overseen by a
statewide administration, is in a better position than many states to
enforce statewide standards, he said.

He disagreed with those who complained that the policy would hurt
those students who are unable to maintain a C average, but who enjoy
high-school athletics.

"I can't believe that any kid who works his heart out can't get a C
average," he said. "We discussed this at the state board, and we
determined that academics should come first. Extracurricular activities
are important, but we see them as a privilege."

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